Sufjan Stevens - An Excellent Performance!

It didn't look like Sufjan Stevens realized just how happy we'd all be to see him and the Illinoisemakers come play for us last night. He (and 'noisemaker/opener Liz Janes) were both seemingly surprised at the crowd's vastly appreciative responses. Urbana was the first of three Illinois stops for Stevens (two days in Chicago, tonight and Saturday) and a very satisfying performance for crowd and performer alike.

The live performace definitely helped to excite the more laid back tone that the music takes on record. There were cheerleader calls set to towns across the state, a human pyramid, and a lot of mutual appreciation between the fans and the band. One fan even started the I-L-L chant, often heard at U of I sporting events... definitely a nice touch. Sufjan even took notice and said, "That's certainly not something we hear at every show."

The crowd was chanting for more as the set ended (full of numbers from the "Illinois" album) and was rewarded with the centerpiece of that album, "Chicago." However, he was not prepared to deliver the audience with a second encore, even though most of the crowd stayed behind well after the final note was played, in hopes of hearing the song that was written about the U of I super-computer which was not included on the album. Perhaps there will be an iTunes release or a free download for fans seeking more "Illinoise." Let's hope for more beautiful storytelling through song from this great American artist.